Firefighters have issued a reminder of their lithium battery safety advice following a fire on Katherine Road in Stratford.
A detached garage at the rear of the property was destroyed by the fire. A small part of the roof, soffits and guttering of a second garage were damaged by the fire. Part of the soffits and guttering at the rear of the property were also damaged by the fire. Four people left the building before the Brigade arrived. One man was taken to hospital by London Ambulance Service.
The fire is believed to have been accidental and was caused by the failure of a lithium ion battery.
A London Fire Brigade spokesperson said: “Lithium batteries are susceptible to failure if incorrect chargers are used, so it’s important to always use the correct charger for the product and buy an official one from a reputable seller.
“You should unplug your charger when you have finished using it and we would advise not to leave it unattended or charging while people are asleep.
“Batteries can present a fire risk if they’re over-charged, short circuited, submerged in water or damaged, so it’s really important to protect them against being damaged too.
“Try to ensure they are not getting knocked around while in use or while being carried as this can increase the chance of damage to cells.”
Firefighters removed and cooled two cylinders to an ambient temperature as a precaution, as some cylinders can explode when exposed to heat.
Control Officers took the first of 26 calls at 2048 and mobilised six fire engines and around 40 firefighters from Plaistow, Leytonstone, East Ham and surrounding fire stations to the scene. The fire was extinguished by 2206.